Embioideied Die^s of Sardaiiapalus III (Prom the As- syuan Sculptuies m the British Muteuin.)
volves the idea of invention, or designing patterns; rik- mah, the idea oftexfui-e as well as variegated color. The former is applied to other arts which demanded the ex- ercise of inventive genius, as in the construction of en- gines of war (2 Chron. xxvi, 15); the latter is applied to other substances, the texture of which is remarkable, as the human body (Psa. cxxxix, 15). Further than this, rikmah involves the idea of a regular disposition of colors, which demanded no inventive genius. Be- yond the instances already adduced, it is applied to tes- sellated pavement (1 Chron. xxix, 2), to the eagle's plumage (Ezek. xvii, 3), and, in the Targums, to the leopard's spotted skin (Jer. xiii, 23). In the same sense it is applied to the colored sails of the Egyptian vessels (Ezek. xxvii, 16), which were either checkered orworked according to a regularly recurring pattern (Wilkinson, iii, 211). Gesenius considers this passage as conclusive for his view of the distinction, but it is hardly conceiv- able that the patterns were on one side of the sail only, nor does there appear any ground to infer a departure from the usual custom of working the colors by the loom. The ancient versions do not contribute much to the elucidation of the point. The Sept. varies between TTOiKiX-ijg and pa(ptoevrric, as representing rokem, and TTOtKiXrlig and iKpavTijg for chosheb, combining the two terms in each case for the work itself—// 7roiKt\ia rou pa(^ilivTov for the first, tpyop ixpavrbv TzoiKikriv for
NEEF
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the second. The distinction, as far as it is observed, consisted in the one being needle-work and the other loom-work: The Vulgate gives generally plumarius for the drst, and polymilariiis for tlie second; but in Exod. xxvi, l,3i pliinuiriiis is used for the second. The first of these terras (plumdi-ius) is well chosen to express rokem, but poli/mitii/itis, i. e. a weaver who works to- gether threads of divers colors, is as applicable to one as to the other. The rendering in Ezek. xxvli, 16, scu- tulafn, i. e. "checkered," correctly describes one of the ])r<)du(nioiis of the rokem. We have lastly to notice the incorrect rendering of the word V^'^ in the A. V. — '• broidcr," " embroider" (Exod. xxviii, 4, 39). It means stuff worked in a tessellated manner, i. c. with square cavities such as stones might be set in (comp. ver. 20). The art of embroidery by the loom was extensively practiced among the nations of antiquity. In addition to the Egyptians, the Babylonians were celebrated for it, but embroidery in the proper sense of the term, i. e. with the needle, was a Phrygian invention of later (late (Pliny, viii, 48) (Smith). There are three words for ^•weaver" employed in the descriptions of textures used in the tabernacle and the garments of the priest : 1. 5~iX, oreg, the simpler weui-er, who wrought in one color, even though that color were blue (Judg. xvi. 13; Isa. lix, 5 ; Exod. xxviii, 32 ; xxxix, 22, 27) ; 2. Dj^l, rokem, the color-weaver, who wrought in textures of at least three colors, as he wove cloth made of blue, purple, and scarlet threads, and twined linen (Exod. xxvi, 36; xxvii, IG; xxviii, 39; xxxix, 29) ; 3. -'IJn, chosheb, the embroiderer, who wrought in the same colors and mate- rials as the color-weaver or rokem, but always with an additional thread, producing figures (Exod. xxvi, 1, 31 ; xxviii, 6, 8, 15 ; xxix, 3) (Paine, Temple of Solomon, p. 12). See Art of Needlework from the Earliest At/es, by the countess of Wiltun (Lond. 1840). See Ejujuoi- DKit; Wkave.
Neef (or Neefs), James, a Flemish engraver who devoted himself mostly to sacred and secular art, was born at Antwerp, according to Nagler. about lOlO. There are various dates assigned for his birth, but Na- gler is |)robably correct, as there are prints by Neef ex- tant dated 1(;32 and 1G33. His last print recorded is dated l(i45. He engraved a number of plates after IJu- bcns, Yandyck, and other celebrated Flemish painters. His drawing is correct, but stiff' and mannered, and his licads often have an extravagant expression ; but his prints are much esteemed. They are executed entirelv with the graver, which he handled with great facility. Amiing his works are. The Fall of the Anrjels: — The Jlfecliiif/ of Abraham and Melchisedec: — The Crucijlx- iiiii, iri/lt the Virr/in and St, John: — St. Augustine: — The Afarli/rdomofSt. Thomas: — The Judgment of Paris: — The Triumph (f Calatea (all these are after Kubens) : — Christ and his Six Penitents: — Job and his Wife: — The MfUtgi-domofSt. Lievin: — Christ's offering to Mag- diihn { all these after Gerard Segers) -.—Chrust brovght be- fore Pilate, after J. Jordaens -.—St. Roch interceding for the Persons attacked by the Plague, after Erasmus (iuelli- nus. See Spooner, Jiiog. Hist, of the Fine A ris, ii, G12.
Neef, Jean, a Belgian ascetic writer, was born at 31<'cldin in ITiTG. He belonged to the Order of the Hermits of St. Augustine, in which he filled the oflSce of prior. In 1G25 he was appointed )irovincial for Flan- ders and Cologne. He died at Mechlin, June 28, IGoG. His works are, Vita sanct(e Monica' (Antwerp, H!28) : — Jlorologium monaslicdt perfectionis f Louvain, 1G30) : — I)e terliariis ordinis Sancti Augustini (Antwerp, 1632): — Fremus A ugustiniana Jbiribus honoris et sanctitatis ver- nans (Louvain, 1638, 4to), in which is found the life of St. Augustine, and a great luimbcr of notices of the re- markable personages of his order: — Le Nouceau Testa- vient, in Flemish. See Andre, Bibl. Belgica, ii, 700. — Hoefer, Xour. Biog. Generale, vii, 005.